Note: Hey everyone! So, of course this is late, hope you won't mind TOO MUCH. Hope you still like this story, and please leave a review so I know what you all think. Have a great day/night!
Chapter 25: Winter's Memory
"We're not launching an attack on the castle with Elsa and Rapunzel still inside," said Jack sharply. They were in Eugene's tent- as he was commander in Elsa's absence, his tent was the biggest. Eleanor and Gregory were there too, amassed around the table.
"Of course we're not," frowned Eugene.
"Well, that was what he was suggesting," blurted Jack angrily, gesturing towards Gregory with his staff, who-wisely- took a step back.
It had been a day- a whole day- since they'd arrived. The sun was beginning to set over the forest, the only light in the tent coming from candles.
"It would mean that we'd have the element of surprise," said Gregory. "If two of their prisoners disappear during the night- my guess is, our presence won't stay inconspicuous for long."
"I don't care about our presence staying inconspicuous," said Jack, gritting his teeth. "You've asked me to wait, and I've waited. I won't let Pitch continue detaining Elsa doing who knows what-"
"Besides," intervened Eugene calmly, "Leaving Elsa and Rapunzel inside the castle will give them leverage if we go inside."
"Anyway, we're not leaving them inside a second more than necessary."
Gregory turned towards Eleanor. She'd spoken the words with such conviction that even Eugene was looking at her in surprise.
"But-"
She shifted to grab Gregory's hand, her red hair glinting in the candlelight.
"Have you forgotten what they did for us?" she whispered to him, loud enough so that they could hear her but quietly enough to show that the words were only meant for Gregory. "Elsa saved me when I was running away from your father- she reunited us, gave us refuge in Arendelle, far away from the King and your brothers-"
Gregory bowed his head, squeezing Eleanor's hand in his own.
"Of course," he said finally, and Jack's shoulders slumped, "We'll get them out before we attack."
"Tonight," said Jack. They all turned towards him.
"Tonight?" repeated Gregory. "But- we haven't planned anything."
"Oh, I have a plan," said Jack, "Fly in, grab them, get out."
"It's not that simple, Jack," groaned Gregory. "The dungeons of the Summer Palace are a true labyrinth if you don't know how to navigate them-"
"I can manage," said Jack. "And I'm going, tonight."
Gregory huffed in exasperation, crossing his arms over his chest as he appraised the white-haired Spirit of Winter, who, in that precise moment, looked more stubborn than Eleanor herself.
"And nothing I say will make you change your mind?"
"No."
"At least let me come with you," Gregory said. "Or you'll get lost in the dungeons."
"And I'm going too," intervened Eugene. "You're both completely mad if you think I'm staying here while you go save my wife."
"I can't carry the both of you. I don't even know if I can carry Gregory," he said, taking in Gregory's broad shoulders and muscular chest. "No offence."
"None taken," said Gregory, smiling weakly. "You'll have to, though."
"I am not staying here," growled Eugene. "If it was Eleanor in there, you wouldn't stay here either-"
"No, I wouldn't, because I wouldn't be thinking straight," retorted Gregory. "That's why you have to stay here, with Eleanor and the soldiers."
Eugene turned his imploring eyes to Jack, who looked away, repressing the twinge of guilt in his stomach.
"I'm sorry Eugene," he said, still carefully avoiding his friend's accusatory stare, "But I can't carry the both of you in the castle. And we can't leave the soldiers here alone in the forest."
"I'll stay with you," said Eleanor, her brown eyes glinting as she laid an arm on Eugene's. "They'll be back in a moment-"
"An hour," said Gregory. "Two, at most."
"As soon as the sun sets," Jack nodded, this time looking directly at Eugene. His shoulders tense, Eugene turned his gaze from Jack to Gregory and back again.
"Fine," he huffed finally, throwing his arms upwards in defeat. "But you'd better bring my wife back alive."
"I promise," nodded Jack.
"That's all fine and well," said Eleanor, "But if Jack carries Gregory in- how is he carry the three of you out?"
"Jack will get us in," said Gregory, taking Eleanor's hand. "I'll get us out."
…
"Elsa," hissed Rapunzel.
Elsa shifted in her deep sleep. She wasn't dreaming- she felt as if she was floating in a sea of roiling darkness.
When her cousin called her name again, Elsa groaned, and slowly opened her eyes. The circular dungeon room swam into view, and she instantly wishes sleep could take her again.
"What is it?" she whispered. A jolt of pain ran through her stomach, and she bent over, the room spinning. Only Rapunzel's hand, gripped tightly around her arm, kept her tethered to reality.
"Please don't throw up again," whispered Rapunzel urgently. "I've cleaned up everything before Pitch could see, and changed your dress-"
Elsa looked down at herself. Her ice dress was gone, replaced by a white shift, the kind you wore under dresses. She shivered, the material of the 'dress' barely thin enough to hide her goosebumps.
"I know it's not much," said Rapunzel, "But it was all Hans could find and take without bringing attention on himself. But Elsa wasn't listening, instead looking down at her stomach, one hand splayed on it.
"The- the child?" she croaked. Rapunzel fell silent, but her hand squeezed Elsa's arm.
"It's gone," she said, finally. Elsa bowed her head, and swallowed forcefully. She hadn't realized it, until she'd had to part with the being growing inside her, that having a child- with Jack-
No use thinking like this now.
"What time is it?" she said, sweeping her unbound blond hair behind her ear and lifting her head.
"I don't know," said Rapunzel, letting her hand drop. Elsa risked a glance at Rapunzel's other hand.
It was still there, though mangled and matted with blood. Maybe, when they got out of here, they could tend to it- maybe it could be intact again-
If we get out of here, a voice whispered, that Elsa hurried to block out. Losing hope now was like handing a knife for Pitch to plunge into both their hearts.
"Hans hasn't checked on us for hours," said Rapunzel. "I think it must be nearing dusk."
"Pitch hasn't come?"
"Hans has been… distracting him."
Elsa tried to sit up higher, and Rapunzel helped her, so that she was now leaning against the cold stone wall, savouring its icy touch. She felt as if her skin was on fire. Another jolt of intense pain shook her body, and she clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying out.
"Where does it hurt?" Rapunzel asked. "You have a fever."
"I'm fine," she said, waving a hand. "We have more important things to worry about. Do you really think we can trust Hans?"
"Yes," whispered Rapunzel. "Does your stomach hurt?"
Elsa nodded, with a quick jerk of the head that informed Rapunzel that she didn't want to talk about this now. Talking about the pain that was everywhere, as if it flowed in her very veins, would only make it worse. And she hated to be in this state, barely capable of moving, let alone run, when she was in such a vulnerable position.
"Elsa, it's important that you feel well enough," said Rapunzel, still whispering.
"Why?" she snapped. "I'm sorry," she added quickly, her voice softening. "I'm on edge."
"Understandably," said Rapunzel, cocking an eyebrow before giving the door an uneasy glance. She leaned towards Elsa, though they were alone, and whispered so quietly that Elsa barely heard her.
"Tonight is the prince's birthday," she said in her ear.
"Rapunzel, I don't think they'll invite us to partake in the festivities," said Elsa.
"I know," she said, rolling her eyes. "But everyone will be either drinking, dancing or- entertaining themselves. Our cell will only be guarded by one guard, tonight."
"Are you saying- we should-"
"Hans promised that when everyone will be drunk enough, he'll come down and open the door for us. Then, we'll just have to find an exit-"
"And get out," finished Elsa. Despite the pain, a smile had tentatively appeared on her face.
"We'll steal horses, and gallop to Arendelle as fast as they can go," continued Rapunzel.
"What about Pitch?" said Elsa. "I don't see him drinking himself to oblivion. Why would he take part in the prince's birthday?"
"Hans said he was away from the castle."
Elsa didn't like how much this plan relied on Hans' word. As if reading her mind, Rapunzel shook her head.
"We have no choice but to trust him. We might have a chance to get out of here, to go back to Eugene and Jack."
Before Elsa could answer, the door creaked open, and Elsa looked up to find Hans entering and closing the door behind him.
"The festivities haven't started yet," he said, not looking twice at either of them. Elsa saw his hands were shaking as he thrust them into his pocket.
"Don't the guards see you, when you come?" she asked.
"I'm the Prince," he said simply, as if that was explanation enough. "Now, take this."
He thrust a chain of three keys into her hand.
"That's the key to open your cell," he said, showing her a small, dirty iron key. "When you get out, go left until you arrive to a stairwell. Go down-"
"Down? Isn't the way out going to be up?"
"Just listen," Hans snapped, glancing worriedly over his shoulder. "My brothers will notice I'm gone, I don't have much time."
He gave the both of them a pointed look, and though Rapunzel looked as if she wanted to snap something rude at him, she didn't.
"Thank you," he said. "Go down, there's a passageway that will lead you right out of the castle. It's hidden, but I've marked the way with chalk. Those two keys will open the two doors on your way."
He stood up again, pressing down on his thigh.
"I have to go."
"When are we supposed to know when to leave?" asked Elsa.
"The sun will set in an hour and a half," said Hans. "Everyone will be drunk by then. I'll come down and tell the guards in the dungeons that there's been a brawl and they're needed upstairs. When you hear them go, you don't waste time- you open the door and you run."
They didn't have the time to nod- the door swung shut behind Hans' back.
…
The window was wide open, and Jack's feet gratefully touched the stone ground.
He'd spent the whole afternoon watching as the sun slowly- so damn slowly- sunk towards the horizon.
But finally, it had been time to go.
The flight to the palace had been uncomfortable, even if more than half of Gregory's weight was carried by the wind. The feeling of the Southern Prince clinging to him in terror somehow hadn't had the same effect Elsa's grip had.
"Never again," said Gregory hoarsely, shaking all over. He gripped the wall, breathing heavily. Jack would have smiled, if he wasn't straining so much to listen.
They were in a dark corridor, the window they'd come through the only one of the whole passage. Jack judged they were near the central rooms of the castle. Music wafted to their ears, and the smell of a feast made his stomach growl.
"Partying, are they?" he asked Gregory, disgusted. The prince left the wall's support, a little colour returning to his face- his eyes were wide.
"What is it?"
"Nothing," he said quietly, shaking his head. "I- I forgot it was my brother's birthday today."
"Which one?" said Jack, turning away from the prince to study their surroundings. He hoped they weren't far from the dungeons- if that was where they kept Elsa and Rapunzel. If they weren't there-
Well, he thought grimly, I'll have to turn this castle upside-down.
"The eldest," answered Gregory. He seemed to come back to his senses. "The dungeons are this way."
…
Elsa gasped awake, her eyes flying open, and Rapunzel stopped shaking her body.
"I think they're going," she said. Instantly, Elsa felt as if she was wide awake. Rapunzel was huddled against the wooden door, one ear tilted towards the exterior. Elsa tried to stand up, her legs trembling underneath her and barely able to support her weight. She wobbled over to the door, and listened with bated breath.
Sure enough, she could hear Hans' muffled voices and footsteps, going, going, going… gone.
She looked at Rapunzel, her cousin's breath-taking green eyes meeting her own blue ones. She nodded.
As if the movement had snapped an invisible leash, Rapunzel thrust the key inside the lock, her hands trembling. She turned the key, and Elsa realized that the both of them were holding their breaths.
The door swung open.
…
Elsa's legs were still weak, but she couldn't feel it anymore. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as they stepped out into the stone corridor, and Rapunzel seized her hand, holding it tightly.
Her cousin pulled her forwards. They advanced slowly, and Elsa stretched her ears, listening for the sounds of approaching footsteps.
They reached the end of the corridor, and Rapunzel pushed open the door slowly. They cringed as its hinges screeched as it opened.
They waited, not daring to move; when they heard no footsteps coming to investigate the sound, they slipped out. Rapunzel looked right, before pulling Elsa left.
Elsa could hear the beating of her heart in her ears, the sound of her breathing the only one in the corridor. A jolt of pain coursed through her stomach, but Elsa kept her mouth clamped shut, swallowing back her groan. Darkness seemed to float at the edge of her vision.
She couldn't pass out now.
Even though the dark corridor seemed to tilt and swerve beneath her naked feet. Her white shift floated around her ankles, and she could feel her blonde hair against her shoulders.
Funny how, when you're in mortal danger, your mind concentrates on the little things- committing them to memory.
She stumbled, but Rapunzel was there to catch her.
"We're nearly there," she whispered into her hair.
…
Jack and Gregory crept along the wall of the corridor. Gregory had insisted so vehemently that they do their best to keep out of sight, Jack hadn't dared remind him that he would be invisible to any guards.
"Yes, yes, check on the prisoners, of course-"
They froze, and Jack gripped his staff tightly. That voice… sounded so familiar…
"No, I'll do it," said the voice, in a somewhat annoyed tone, "You go upstairs and enjoy the festivities."
"But, your Royal Highness-"
'Your brother?' mouthed Jack. Gregory didn't answer.
"I will go and check on the prisoners," snapped the voice. "I intend to… take my pleasure with them. Alone."
Jack stiffened.
Take my pleasure with them.
If he was suggesting what Jack thought he was-
He was going to tear him limb from limb.
"Very well, your Highness. I will patrol, then."
There was the sound of scuffling retreating footsteps. A breath. Then, footsteps again- this time, coming towards them.
Gregory seized Jack's arm, his eyes so wide that he didn't need to speak for Jack to understand- he mustn't see us.
But the footsteps kept going along the corridor, not pausing- Jack and Gregory didn't dare breathe until they heard them slowly start fading away.
"We have to hurry," said Jack, stepping away from Gregory and towards the footsteps. "You heard him."
Gregory nodded, following his brother's footsteps. They arrived in the passage the footsteps had gone down- it was illuminated by torches, the firelight glistening in Gregory's red hair.
"Which brother was that?" asked Jack, whispering. He could nearly discern, at the end of the passage, the prince's- whichever one it was- retreating form. Gregory paused.
"Hans."
If there wasn't such a pressing urgency that seemed to have taken permanent residence in Jack's steps, he probably would have stopped.
"The Hans?" he asked. "The tried-to-kill-Anna-and-Elsa-to-become-king-of-Arendelle Hans?"
"How many do you know?" snapped Gregory.
If I get my hands on that bastard-
"Stop," said Gregory, putting a hand out, halting Jack.
They watched silently as Hans opened a great wooden door, revealing a glimpse of a small circular room beyond. He shut the door behind him.
"I'm not going to wait here while he tries to assault Elsa and Rapunzel!" hissed Jack angrily, trying to side-step Gregory.
"Something's wrong," said Gregory, frowning. Immediately, Jack tensed. "There should be more guards," he whispered. "And we should hear them speak. Knowing Elsa, I think she would have a few words of choice for Hans if he were trying to-"
"I'm going in," said Jack, passing Gregory and making his way towards the cell.
"Jack!" called Gregory angrily, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. But Jack wasn't listening.
"It might be a trap!"
"I. Don't. Care," Jack said, whirling around. Frost appeared on the walls. "I'd rather be in Pitch's hand than take the risk that Elsa is in there with your scumbag of a brother!"
Before Gregory could respond, Jack turned towards the door again. His feet lifted an inch from the ground, and a gust of wind picked up, shooting him forward, forward, forward…
He burst through the door.
To find only Hans, sitting, alone.
…
Hans snapped his head up at the sound of Jack crashing into the room.
"You," he said. There was no animosity, just plain astonishment. Jack didn't even pause on the information that he could see him- a distant part of his mind told him that Pitch had probably warned them about him.
A part of his mind that was silenced by the roaring in his ears.
"Where are they?" Jack growled, raising his staff slowly so that the crook pointed towards Hans. "What have you done with them?"
"They escaped," said Hans. "I helped them escape."
"What?"
It wasn't Jack who had spoken- Gregory entered the room, looking stunned. Hans' jaws became slack as he beheld his brother.
"Greg," he breathed.
"That's Gregory, to you."
There was a silence before Hans answered. Then: "I suppose I deserved that."
"Where are they?" said Gregory, not missing a beat. Jack knew he was listening for guards. What if he'd been right? What if it was a trap?
"Hopefully, far away from here by now," said Hans, his eyes not leaving his brother's face. "Gregory- when Father told me that you weren't coming home and that you were with Eleanor-"
"They escaped?" interrupted Jack. A tearful reunion could wait. Right now, he couldn't even think straight. He felt as if his heart was beating furiously fast.
"I slipped them a key," said Hans.
"You slipped them-"
"I'm not on their side, Gregory," whispered Hans hurriedly.
"I have some trouble believing that," snarled Gregory. "I have some very clear souvenirs of you trying to assemble a child army."
"I was lost," he said, bowing his head. "I didn't know what I was doing. What kind of evil inhabited our father's heart."
"The same kind that inhabits yours," spat Gregory. A flash of hurt crossed Hans' eyes.
"I'm sorry, Greg," he said, his voice hushed, so low that Jack could barely hear him. "I wish- If I could do it all again-"
Gregory's tense shoulders seemed to slump, as the fallen prince watched his smaller brother. All trace of rage seeped from his face.
Then, a piercing scream split through the air.
Jack's head whipped around.
"LET GO!"
He would recognize that voice anywhere.
He began running.
…
"STOP!" shouted a voice behind them, but they didn't, sprinting as fast as they could down the corridor.
"Rapunzel," said Elsa, her breathing becoming shallow. She stumbled again, and almost fell to her knees. Rapunzel put one hand around her shoulders, her green eyes shining with panic. "Rapunzel, you're not going to make it out with me- just leave me here, I'll be fine, I'll find a way-"
"Don't be stupid," panted Rapunzel. Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, trying to contain the wave of nausea that coursed through her.
"You don't be stupid," said Elsa, opening her eyes. "They're catching up with us-"
"Elsa, I'm not leaving without you- Either we're both free, or we'll both be imprisoned. But I refuse to leave you here. Now, shut up so I can concentrate-"
But before Rapunzel could finish her sentence, Elsa felt a fist enclose around her elbow and pull her back, tearing her from Rapunzel.
"Let us GO-" said Rapunzel as two guards seized her arms. She kicked and thrashed. Elsa barely managed to retain consciousness.
"If you don't stop moving, you Coronian bitch, I swear-"
If only she could use her powers… but she was so tired, and so, so weak…
She didn't even see the dagger, only the glimmer of the torchlight reflected on its blade. She barely saw it even as it plunged into her cousin's abdomen.
What she did see, however, was the blood.
Rapunzel's blood.
The red liquid dripped onto the floor, traversing her dirty dress-
"Let go of her!" screamed Elsa, and suddenly, she was fighting, she was thrashing.
Rapunzel couldn't be dead, couldn't possibly be dead-
Her body thumped to the ground.
No. No. Anything, anything, but this-
"LET GO!" she screamed.
The emptiness inside her, ever since she'd swallowed that dreadful poison-
Suddenly, there was a pit of rage, of fire-
No, she thought, Not of fire. Ice.
She exploded.
The guards were no match for her. No-one was a match for her, for what she could do.
Spiked erupted from the stone floor. With a scream of rage, of deep, deep despair, she raised her hands.
They were surrounded by ice. It was on the floor, on the walls. The guards gripped their swords, slicing at it, but it was harder than steel-
One spike pierced one guard through the head, he fell to the floor. The one that was holding her slackened his grip. That was all she needed, and she thrust him away from her, an icy wind projecting him against the wall. She fell to her knees, her hands trembling madly as she crawled to Rapunzel, the snowstorm carrying on around them. There were five guards, she thought, as she grabbed Rapunzel's hand. But with all the noise they were making, it was a miracle the whole castle wasn't running down to murder them.
"Rapunzel," she whispered. "Come on, open your eyes- we have to get out of here. You said we'd get out of here together-"
She heard shouts from behind her, and she threw a glance behind her shoulder. The torches had been extinguished, snow was spiralling around them, she couldn't see a thing-
"If you come closer," she shouted above the whistling wind, "I swear I'll kill you!"
"What?" shouted back a voice, outraged. "And here I was, thinking we were getting along just fine!"
It wasn't possible.
A sob escaped her. She stood up, the wind still tearing at her white shift, her hair flapping around her.
"Jack?" she called, tears running down her face.
"You're going to have to stop that wind, Snowflake!" shouted Jack. "Or I can't reach you."
She felt as if she was trembling all over, and she covered her mouth with her hand. If this was an illusion-
"How do I know it's you?" she shouted. "And not a cruel trick?"
"Elsa," she heard him shout, his voice exasperated. If only she could just see him, then she'd know, without a doubt-
"Tell me something only you would know!" she screamed above the wind. "Or I'll attack!"
This could be Pitch Black. The probability that Jack was there-
There was a pause.
Elsa waited, her breath becoming mist.
"The day I met you," shouted Jack, his voice echoing down towards her ears. "You were wearing a blue dress. You looked beautiful. I came up to you in the gardens- you were searching for your tiara, that had fallen from your head- and you knocked me out."
"Any spy would know that!"
"I flew into your room when you were getting dressed," Jack's voice wafted to her ears. "You compared me to a cockroach!"
The wind died down a little.
"I remember when we danced, and you told me about that room that they used to lock you in- I remember when you woke up from a nightmare, and I kept you close to me- I remember when I kissed you for the first time."
Elsa closed her eyes, leaning against the wall, the cold seeping into her shoulders.
"You'd just stood up to the counsellors, and you were laughing…"
Snowflakes now floated in the air, as if they'd been frozen. If she squinted her eyes, she could see two figures at the end of the corridor.
"I remember how it felt, when you told me you didn't want to be with me, even though I knew you did. I remember when I decided to come back- and you were being dragged away by a man- I will always remember the anger I felt, and the fierce joy when you told me you wanted to be with me. And since that day, even though we've been through so much, you've brought me so much happiness, Elsa. So much."
The wind stopped howling, and suddenly she could see him, clearer than ever, his white hair a mess, his blue eyes shining.
"I will remember every second of my time with you," whispered Jack, "For the rest of my life."
She stood in stunned silence, her mouth dry.
"Now I don't think that's something Pitch would say," said Jack, flashing her a grin as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Her mouth stretched into a smile, and a breathy laugh escaped her.
"No," she said, "I don't think so either."
Then, they were both running, Jack's staff falling from his grasp, hitting the floor with a dull thud, and she swung her arms around his neck, and she felt his hands wrapping around the small of her back, as he lifted her up, her feet leaving the ground- she could feel tears on her cheeks, and she didn't know if they were hers or his-
"I love you," he said, "So much."
She gasped a sound that sounded like a laugh and a sob, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.
"I love you too," she whispered. "More than anything in the world."
…
Jack carried Elsa into the tent, her body completely limp. He cradled her against his chest. He couldn't believe she was there, in his arms. Even if she was unconscious.
Gregory followed, Rapunzel in his arms.
"Rapunzel!" gasped Eugene, hurtling forward, and taking the princess from Gregory's arm. Jack watched as his eyes fell to her bloody dress.
"She's still alive," said Gregory, as Eugene's eyes filled with horror. "We need a doctor, for them both. Now."
…
Elsa kept her eyes shut, concentrating on her breathing. She listened to the sounds around her.
She heard what sounded like the crackling of flames. She was somewhere warm, somewhere that felt- safe.
She stretched her palm out onto the mattress beneath her. It was comfortable, definitely not made out of straw.
She opened her eyes.
Someone had changed her clothes so that she was covered in a clean white nightgown. Her head was laid on the pillow, and thick covers covered her. She blinked away the tiredness from her eyes and sat up, looking around.
She was in the large square room of a tent. Carpets covered the wooden floor, which had been installed. The flap was closed, and she could hear no sound around the tent.
A fire warmed the tent, inside a pile of stones. The bed was covered with a white sheet and a dark red thick blanket.
Her eyes fell on the chair beside her bed. Jack was fast asleep, his head on his crossed arms over her bed. She smiled tenderly as she relaxed, watching him.
She was safe. With Jack.
Then, she remembered Rapunzel's limp form, and she felt her pulse accelerate. She hated to wake him- he looked so peaceful- but she had to know.
She had to know if-if Rapunzel was-
She ran a hand through his shock of white hair. Gently, he stirred, opening one eye, then another. Her hand descended to his cheek, and he leaned into the touch.
"Hi," she said, whispering softly. He smiled sleepily, kissing her hand.
"Hi," he whispered back. He raised his hand to take her own, squeezing it as he raised his head.
"How long have I been asleep?"
"Nearly four days," he breathed, and her eyes widened. "You were in a pretty bad shape."
"Rapunzel?" she asked, looking around as if her cousin would suddenly appear inside the tent.
"She's fine," said Jack. "She lost a lot of blood, but no vital organs were damaged beyond repair."
Elsa bowed her head as a surge of relief coursed through her.
Rapunzel was alive. She was going to be fine.
"I have something to tell you," she said, raising her head. "But I'm scared you're going to hate me."
He was still holding her hand, and she found she couldn't look him in the eye.
If he'd known about the baby… would he have wanted it? Would he have wanted to be the father of her child?
"Rapunzel told me everything," he whispered, and Elsa's head snapped up, their eyes meeting.
"Everything?" she repeated.
"What Pitch threatened to do, with our child-"
Our child.
She found that there was a lump in her throat, and she tried hard to swallow it back. She had enough of crying.
"I'm sorry, Jack," she murmured, closing her eyes and turning her face away from him. "I was so scared of the way he was about to use- our- the baby-"
"Elsa," he interrupted her. "There's nothing to forgive."
"But- but I- kill-"
"No, you didn't," he said calmly. "At that stage, the heart wasn't even completely formed yet."
"But still-"
"Elsa," he said, and she stopped talking. He grasped both of her hands in his. "I understand why you had to do it. I won't deny I wasn't- devastated, but I understand."
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"There's nothing to forgive," he murmured, sitting on the bed and pulling her to him, putting her head on his chest as he rested his chin on her hair. "And even if there was- Elsa, I've already forgiven all that you could possibly do."
"Would you have wanted it?" she asked, as she wrapped her arms around his back, resting against him. He didn't answer immediately.
"The day you give me a child," he started, stroking her unbound hair, "Will be the happiest day of my life."
"But?" she said, pulling away from him, so as to look him in the face.
"But," he conceded, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "I want to do it properly."
"Properly?"
"Elsa," he said, chuckling softly, "Once we're done with this war, I plan to do the whole damn package. I want to travel the world with you. I want to marry you. Live with you. Then, when we're ready- of course I want kids with you."
She said nothing, staring at him mutely.
"Since Pitch took you- I can't even describe-" his voice broke, and suddenly she had put her fingers on his jaw. He shook his head, his eyes filled with something that can't be described. But she understood what he couldn't stay.
"I love you," he said, and somewhere in the back of her mind she realized this was the second time he'd ever said the words to her. She rested her forehead on his.
"The whole deal then?" she said, smiling. "That's really what you want?"
"Being with you," he said, and it was his turn to rest his hands on her cheeks, "Is what I want. More than anything."
"So," she said, racking her throat, "This was your idea of a proposal?"
There was a silence. Then-
He roared out laughing.
She chuckled as she watched him laugh himself hoarse. When he finally stopped, still grinning widely, he looked at her.
"Yes," he said, "That was my idea of a proposal."
She leant forward at the precise instant he did- their lips crashed together, her hands in his hair as he held her face between his hands. Her palm slid from his hair to his sweatshirt, that she used to pull him against her. She felt him smile on her lips, before leaning forward, so that she was laying down. He swung his legs onto the bed, so that he was now above her, kissing her, loving her-
"I don't think," he said, breaking his lips away, "That's reasonable."
"What?" she said, her breathing quick as she frowned up at him.
"Your injuries," he said. "The doctor said that you shouldn't be exposed to- activity."
"I don't care," she said roughly, raising her head to catch his lips with her own.
"Ah," he said, avoiding her, "But I do. And as much as I want you, your health is more important than-"
"Oh fine," she snapped. "For someone who wants to marry me, you're not showing as much motivation-"
She was interrupted as he bent to kiss her. It was a slow kiss, that left her hungry for more.
"Trust me, Snowflake," he whispered, "When you can walk again, I'll show you how- motivated- I am."
He was delighted to see her blush.
…
Two hours later, Jack laid in bed, Elsa's head against his chest. He couldn't believe she was there- in his arms- safe. With him.
The silence around the camp was complete, except for the owl's that hooted around the forest. Yet, he couldn't quite find sleep.
"Elsa?" he whispered tentatively. He felt her shift against him.
"What is it?" she said, yawning sleepily. "It's the middle of the night."
"You didn't answer my question."
"What question?"
"You know," he chuckled, "My proposal."
"That's because you didn't actually ask the question, Jack. I'm Queen you know, I need a clear question."
He laughed quietly and felt her lips curve into a smile.
"Fine," he said in mock-exasperation. "I'll ask Her Majesty clearly, then."
Elsa sat up, looking down at him. He stroked her arm, taking his time, making her wait.
"I love you," he said finally. "I wish I was a poet, or a writer but- I'm just the Spirit of Winter. I'm not going to make you any beautiful speeches, because you already know how I feel about you."
Another pause. Then-
"Will you marry me?"
Though it was dark, Jack knew she was smiling, her tired eyes glistening.
"Just the Spirit of Winter?" she repeated, the laughter evident in her voice.
"Answer the damn question," he said, pulling her to him so suddenly that she gave a little scream. They were now chest-to-chest, their legs tangled together. He could feel her breath against his cheek. She laughed, before bending to kiss him.
"Of course I'll marry you."